well, I recently decided that i want to try going from learning to barrel race to learning. to do reining. I think it would be good even if my horse isnt going to get anywhere, he will learn to move his body more. I dont know anyone around my area that trains for barrels but there is a guy that i am going to contact that lives right down the rode from me that trains them. What are the pros and cons to reining. Is it low key and calming? any advice? could any horse do it?

Is it calming?
Well I guess that's a matter of personal opinion. If you feel that spinning yourself dizzystick silly, accelerating and slamming on brakes, and riding fast paced loopty loops is calming, then I don't want your day job

It's technical and requires focus... so maybe you could put a zen spin on it (pun intended).

Most horses could learn the moves... but NOT most people could train them. Mastering the movements is an entirely different thing. Don't expect to send a horse to a trainer for 30 days and get a Reiner back.

It's a lot like nuts and bolts - if the rider's nuts, the horse bolts! ~Nicholas Evans

Personally I don't see a con. All reining is, is making a really broke horse. If you have a really broke horse, you can do anything with him. You can put any body part anywhere at anytime....that is the ultimate goal no matter what discipline you ride.Posted via Mobile Device

I wouldn't say calming. If anything it has the opposite effect, horses can get hot after slides or spins, just like running the patteen. I think the biggest difference is reining is a little more "woah" while barrel racing is all about "go". Reiners must perform things that would make a typical horse "get excited". Reining is going to make your horse use its brain more. He is going to have to think about where his body is and where to place his feet.

Cons are that training is costly and gruling. Be willing go spend more money then your horse is probably worth. I just spoke with a guy who said he put about 8,000 of training into this horse and he is selling for 5,000. It's also VERY hard on the horses bodies. Reiners often end up with arthritis, especially in the hocks from doing all those stops. Smart owners don't spin and stop often, really only to give them.refreshers or practicing for a show.Posted via Mobile Device

I wouldn't say calming. If anything it has the opposite effect, horses can get hot after slides or spins, just like running the patteen. Posted via Mobile Device

I've been a reiner for years and I've yet to run into that situation.
Be the day my horse would get hot after a slide or a spin. When we exit the ring, our horses heads are low and we WALK out of the ring slowly and calmly, you can get DQ'd if your horse acts all hot and bothered. Unlike barrel racing, which my daughters do, my reiners are not rearing, charging to go or chomping at the bit to go, there's no holding them back, we are on a nice loose rein and are competely calm.
Like any sport, your horse is an athlete and therefore needs to be maintained. Spins and stops are practised on a regular basis. It's hard and their bodies if they are not conditioned or built for the sport, you can't make a reiner out of a halter bred horse.

I'm not talking barrel racing out of control hot, not rearing jigging and acting a fool hot. I shouldn't of said like running a pattern, bad comparison! The horses I ride are a bit more forward and sensitive to the aids once we start fencing and spinning, that's what I mean by hot. Not head in the air, out of control, run away, rearing and bucking fit.

Though if you horse DOES already do those things, like most barrel racers do, I don't think running to the end of an area and sliding to a stop (if the horse will even stop), doing a fast circle or spinning would make them any calmer. They could absolutely benefit from the fundamentals of reining, just like a jumper could benefit from dressage work, but I think you you have to be pretty dedicated if you wanted to reining only if you wanted to make a barrel horse into a reiner. Like I said reining is more about "whoa" then "go".Posted via Mobile Device

I agree totally, SlideStop. I know when my girl's barrel horse gets super hot and of course the horse is feeding off the excitement of the event and of the rider, she starts to make him do some nice large and small circles, gets his mind on something else. This helps him to settle a bit and puts his mind elsewhere, which I feel is good for any event.

Personally I don't see a con. All reining is, is making a really broke horse. If you have a really broke horse, you can do anything with him. You can put any body part anywhere at anytime....that is the ultimate goal no matter what discipline you ride.Posted via Mobile Device

Your picture makes me laugh! is that your horse lol? Also very good advice i just had to comment on the picture though

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